Expats living in China and in other countries where the coronavirus infection has surfaced are growing ever more fearful as British officials announce the epidemic may continue for months.

An announcement made in the UK’s House of Commons on Tuesday isn’t doing anything to reassure British expats across the world and especially those in China itself and other affected Southeast Asian states. Health Secretary Matt Hancock stated he believed it’s an established fact that the virus is expected to continue affecting victims for months, before recommending that washing hands gives better protection than wearing a face mask. Hancock believes cases will double every five days, referring to removing it as a marathon rather than a sprint.

For British expats trapped in China, his words cast a chill over an already bleak situation, as the British government has now warned it can’t guarantee to evacuate everyone. Governmental advice includes expats making their own way home, but doesn’t suggest how this might be done as the majority of major airlines have now suspended flights to mainland China.

There will be no more evacuation flights either, but small numbers of Brits may be allowed to piggy-back onto EU rescue planes belonging to European carriers. A representative from the UK’s embassy in Beijing told the media they’re trying to get seats on European flights for British nationals and their families, with Chinese authorities now stating such would include third-party as well as Chinese nationals. Also according to Chinese authorities, these flights will be the last available to expats at present trapped in Hubei province.